Well pumping and flowing mechanism



De@ 22, 1936- R. c. WILLIAMSON WELL PUMPING AND FLOWING MECHANISM Filed June 24, 1935 l INVENTOR. -C WILLMMON..

Patented Dec. 22, 1936 YBATIEIBIT GFFICE WELL PUMPING AND FLOWING MECHANISM Roy C. Williamson, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application June 24, 1935, Serial No. 28,077

6 Claims.

Myrinvention relates to pumping and flowing mechanism for wells and the like, and more particularly to a plurality of combination valves dis- -posed at -various elevations in the delivery pipe of a well and adapted to utilize the pressure of .the-well for raising the fluid therefrom.

The object of this invention is to provide a f simple inexpensive form of valves or units which are so constructed as to t between the sections of a delivery pipe of a well and be adjusted so as to actuate at a predetermined time for intermittently retaining a column of liquid in the pipe 'and -to admit a charge of pressure from the Well to lift the column of liquid.

Another object is to provide a simple valve structure for pumping or flowing wells which will operate more efliciently in creating a low ,gas-oil ratio.

`An. advantage of this invention is that the .structure permits the use of the pressure of the well to lift the fluid therefrom with the minimum amount of friction of the pressure with the fluid.

Another advantage of this structure is that the pressure of the well may be utilized to actuate p the cores of the valves so that they will rotate in their seats, thus eliminating a considerable amount of erosion of the same and insure a more perfect seating of the valves.

`Still another advantage of this invention is ythat each unit is so constructed as to actuate inV a delivery pipe independent of the other units and in a manner so that if one should fail to .function in the normal manner it will not hinder the normal action of the others.

.Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the description.

lReference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application.

Fig. l is a vertical section of a well, showing the delivery pipe thereof provided with a plurality of these pumping or' flowing units disposed therein and arrows indicating the pressure and fluidiiow.

Fig.v 2 ,is a Vertical section of one of the valves.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cage of the fluid valve unit of the device.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the base member thereof.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the housing for one of the units showing the valve moved to a position to admit pressure into the pipe for elevating the fluid.

(Cl. 10S-233) Fig. 6 is a plan view of the device, showing the openings for admitting the well pressure into the housing at an angle to utilize the pressure for rotating the valve cage.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the fluid valve and seat.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the same, showing a portion of the cage.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the cage of the pumping and flowing unit, showing the provision of fluid seal therefor in connection with a sectional portion of the valve housing.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same or similar vparts throughout the several views.

The device consists of a combination valve adapted to control the fluid of a well and the pressure so that the pressure of the well will elevate the fiuicl in stage lifts. The well may be conditioned so as to retain its natural pres- Vsure or artificial pressure may be inserted for lifting the fluid therefrom. In this instance the casing l of the well is provided with a cap 2 having facilities for forcing pressure into the ,casing and around the delivery pipe 3.

The combination valve, which is placed at various elevations in the delivery pipe 3 of the well, consists of a cylindrical housing 4, preferably of a diameter similar to the diameter of the pipe 3. These housings may be carried in the pipe by means of the conventional joints 5 used in connection of the sections of the pipe 3. Each housing is constructed in a like manner so that the parts thereof may be interchangeable. A fluid valve is slidably positioned in the housing 4 so that it may reciprocate longitudinally therein and serve to open and close the pressure ports admitting pressure from the well casing I into the` pipe 3 and lift the fluid therein.

The fluid valve of the device consists of a cage having an upper member 6 and a lower member l which are held rigid with each other by means of a collar 8. The collar 8 is provided with both interior and exterior annular threads and is adapted to hold a valve seat 9 in the cage member 6 of the device.

The valve seat 9 is held in the upper valve cage member 6 by means of the collar 8 being screwed into the base of the member 6 and against the into slots I3 of the Valve seat 9, as shown in Fig. 7. A pin or projection I4 is made integral with the top of the valve II so that when the valve is opened the pin I 4 will rest upon the upper surface of the seat 9 and hold the valve II from opening to a position where the weight of the fluid in the pipe 3 would not cause the valve to be closed.

The upper member of the valve cage is constructed with three different diameters, the larger diameter being on the base thereof and formed so as to form a shoulder with the center of the same which will act to engage an interior annular shoulder I5 of the housing Il, when the valve cage is in normal position. The body of the member E is constructed to have a close fit with the interior of the housing d and serve as a valve for closing the ports admitting well pressure into the pipe 3. The upper portion of the member I is of the smallest diameter and serves to distort the charge of well pressure admitted to the pipe 3 so that there will be less tendency of the pressure to have a cutting action on the oil when pumping or owing oil wells.

The lower cage member 1 is provided with an integral base formed into a bell shaped spreader I6 for permitting fluid to pass therethrough with the least amount of friction. The top of the member 'I is provided with exterior annular threads adapted to thread into the collar 8 for making the same integral With the upper cage member Ii. This arrangement of the cage with the valve II permits the fluid of the pipe 3 to pass through the center of each unit, and the position of the valve and its structure permits the movement of the fluid to cause a reciprocating movement of the valve II and its cage within the housing 4 of the device.

The valve II and its cage, consisting of the members 6 and 1, are resiliently mounted in the housing 4 of the device so that when the uid of a well is raised in the pipe 3, the weight of the colum of fluid above the valve II will cause its cage to gravitate against the tension of the resiliency of the same and this action serves to admit pressure from the well casing I into the delivery pipe 3 of the well.

The housing Il is provided with a plurality of lateral side openings or ports I'I which permit the pressure to pass through the housing 4 and into the pipe 3. 'Ihese ports II are positioned so as to register with the body of the member 5 of the valve I I, when the valve is in its normal position or when the valve II is open for admitting uid to pass through the pipe 3. When the weight of the fluid column above the valve I I is of suicient extent to move the valve cage, the cage will be forced against its resilient support and bring the upper smaller diameter I8 in alinement with the ports I'I and permit the well pressure to be directed into the housing l and against the outer periphery of the portion I8 of the member 6. This direction of the force or charge of pressure from the Well into the pipe 3 utilizes the same for turning the valve cage so that it will have a more perfect seat against the shoulder I5 of the housing and will minimize the errosive effect on its seat. When the ports I1 are drilled anagularly to the center of the housing, as shown in Fig. 6, the force of the pressure will attack the surface of the member 6 at an angle and will tend to rotate the same so that the larger diameter of the member 6 will not seat against the shoulder I5 of the housing l! in a constant or uniform manner, thus insuring a more perfect seating of the same.

The resiliency of the valve cage consists of supporting the cage in the housing 4 by means of a coil spring I 9. The spring I9 is carried around the upper end of the member I and adapted to rest upon an interior shoulder 2|] of a collar 2l. 'Ihe collar 2I is provided with exterior threads which are adapted to screw into the base of the housing 4. The upper end of the spring I9 bears against the connecting collar 8 of the two members 6 and 'I, and its tension between the members 8 and 2I determine the amount of weight required to actuate the cage to open the ports I'I and admit pressure from the well into the pipe 3 for raising the liquid in the pipe 3.

An interior annular shoulder 22 is provided in the housing l of the device for permitting the member ZI to be held in ya rigid state in the housing and insure perfect adjustment of the tension on the valve cage. The member 2I may be screwed into the housing 4 until it bears against the shoulder 22 or a washer member 23 may be interposed between the top of the member 2E and the shoulder 22 for varying the position of the member ZI in the housing 4. This collar 23 may be formed as a lock washer for more securely holding the member 2I at a predetermined position within the housing 4, as shown in Fig. 5.

When a plurality of these valves are positioned atvarious elevations in the delivery pipe of the well, the pressure in the casing I will bear against the uid in the well and cause the same to rise up the pipe 3 and pass through the lower one of the units. When the fluid has passed through the pipe 3 and one or more of the umts, its weight will cause the valvessm .II of those units that it has passed through to force the cages against their springs I9 until the ports II are opened. When the pressure from the well passes through these ports I1 it will further raise the liquid, and this action will be continued intermitently throughout the plurality of combination valves in the pipe 3, thus causing a stage lift of the fluid in the well. This arrangement uses the movement of the fluid to actuate the valve to open the ports I'I and permit the pressure of the well to be utilized for flowing or pumping the well.

In Fig. 9, the upper member 6 of the valve'` cage is provided with a plurality of annular exterior grooves 25 positioned therein to serve as a fluid seal above and below the ports I'I, when the valve is in normal position. This structure facilitates fluid packing or fluid sealing structure in wells of such condition that will notl permit of the conventional pumping structure. When the pressure of the uid above one of these combination valves or units actuate the parts thereof toadmit the pressure medium ton the fluid, the pressure charge rst strikes the metallic member I8 that directs the same to travel, in what might be termed a spiral direction and in close proximity up the inner walls of the pipe 3 and around the column of fluid during the lift thereof. This means of directing the pressure medium in this manner eliminates an abrupt entry of the same into the column but permits the same to eventually enter the column during the lift of the liquid, thus minimizing the cutting eifect of the pressure medium on the uid lifted. I

What I claim is:

l. A Well pumping and flowing mechanism comprising a delivery pipe, a plurality of valves disposed at various elevations in said pipe and adapted to intermittently retain a column of uid in said pipe and to admit pressure from said Well into said column of fluid for lifting the same, and means for directing said pressure against the inner sides of said delivery pipe so that same will be uniformly distributed in said fluid as it lifts the same.

2. A well pumping and flowing mechanism comprising a delivery pipe having a plurality of valves disposed at various elevations therein, said valves being adapted to intermittently retain a. column of fluid in said pipe and to admit a charge of pressure from said well into said co1- umn of iiuid for lifting the same, and means for utilizing said charge of pressure for turning the cores of said Valves.

3. A Well pumping and owing mechanism consisting of a plurality of Valves disposed at various elevations in a delivery pipe, said valves being adapted to intermittently retain a column of fluid in said pipe and to admit a charge of pressure from said well into said fluid for lifting the same, and means for utilizing said charge of pressure for turning the cores of said valves for minimizing the erosion thereof and insure a more perfect seat thereof.

4. A Well pumping and flowing mechanism, for wells consisting of a delivery pipe having a plurality of valves disposed at various elevations therein, said valves being adapted to intermittently retain a column of liquid in said pipe and to admit pressure from said Well into said column of liquid for lifting the same, means for adjusting and locking said valves for timing said intermittent action, and means for utilizing said pressure for rotating the cores of said valves upon their seats for minimizing the erosion thereof and insure a more perfect seating of the same.

5. A Well pumping and flowing mechanism for Wells and the like consisting of a delivery pipe, a plurality of control units disposed at various elevations in said pipe and adapted to intermittently retain a column of fluid in said pipe and to admit pressure from said Well for lifting said fluid, and said units being formed to direct said pressure against the inner periphery of said delivery pipe and relative to said uid so that the same Will gradually impregnate the fiuid during the lift thereof.

6. A Well pumping and flowing mechanism for Wells and the like consisting of a delivery pipe, a plurality of control units disposed at various elevations in said pipe and adapted to intermittently retain a column of fluid in said pipe and to admit pressure from said Well for lifting said column of fluid, and said units being arranged to control the said pressure so that it Will tend to travel around said column of fluid until it gradually impregnates the same during the lift thereof.

ROY C. WILLIAMSON. 

